Creel



Dec. 20, 193?..- F. H. AR-rm ,8 3

CREEL Filed Jan. 12, 1929 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES FAY MARTIN, OF wooNsocxE'r, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY'MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

PATENT OFFICE T0 WHITIN MACHINE WORKS, OF WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OF MASSACHUSETTS f v Application filed January 12, 1929. Serial No. 331,962.

This invention has relation to creels on the order of those which are employed in various manufacturing processes for supporting bobbins, spools, or the like, loaded with supplies of rovings, yarns, and the like, which are to be operated upon, in convenient relations for the paying-out of the material that has livery of their contents, by skewers or spin dles mounted in upright positions withtheir lower ends or feet resting upon suitable steps and with their upper ends or tips confined by tip-retainers.

The invention provides in novel manner for mounting and supporting skewer-supporting steps in their proper working'relations in connection with tubular andoth'er.

shell-like creel-rails of curvilinear or analogous cross-section.

' The nature and features of the invention are illustrated by the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Fig.1 shows in vertical section two rails of a roving creel with the invention applied thereto, and in elevation a bobbin carrying a load of roving. V Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a one of the rails of Fig. 1. I

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the said portion.

Figs. 4, 5, 6 are respectively a front elevati on, a side elevation, and a top or plan view, of oneof the steps of Figs. 1, 2, 3.

Fig. 7 is a top view of one of the tip-retainers to which references are made lat-er herein.

The invention is capable of application to creels in general having rails such as aforesaid. It will be described with reference, more particularly, to application in connection with a roving-bobbin creel, such, for instance, as one for a roving-frame, a spinningframe, or a spinning mule, as the case may be.

Inasmuch as the creel of one of the-named machines is somewhat long, and contains in its general make-up constructional features that are not involved in the invention, and

portion of inasmuch as the inventionhas reference to only the steps by means of which bobbinsupporting skewers are mounted in connection with the longitudinally-extending bobbin-supporting elements of a creel, and to the manner and means of supporting such steps in connection with the said longitudinally extending elements, the drawing hasbeen restricted to short portions of the length of two rails 1, 1, and to steps and step-supporting means constituted by skewer-tipretaining devices applied to' such portions. This extent of illustration will suffice for making clear the following disclosure of the features and principles of the invention. The said two rails are supposed to be ones which are employed at intermediate-heights in a creel. In the drawing, each rail 1, 1, is shown equipped with a skewer-supporting step 2, and with a skewer-tip-retainer 3. -In practice, the rails extend in the direction of the length of the creel of which they constitute elements, and each thereof is equipped with a plurality of steps and with an associated plurality of tip-retainers. In Fig. l a bobbin 4, having'a load of roving 5 wound there'- on, is shown mounted upon a skewer G'that is supported by having its foot or pintle stepped in the concavity of the top of a step 2 in connection with the lower rail, the skewer and bobbin being maintained in upright position by means of a tip-retainer 8 in connection with the upper rail, such tip-retainer being nearly in vertical alinement with the said step, and the opening of the eye of such retainer being occupied by the skewer-tip.-

v The skewer-tip retainer shown in Fig. 1 in connection withthe lower rail isintended" to serve in practice to confine the tip of a bobbin-skewer (not shown) that is stepped below such rail; the step shownin connection with one is equipped with steps, and every one except the bottom rail is equipped with tipretainers disposed above steps located below such rail, so that each tip-retainer may encircle the tip of a bobbin-carrying skewer stepped in a step below such tip-retainer while keeping such skewer and the associated bobbin u ri ht. 10 P. e

p The rails 1, 1, are constituted of tubing, as described and claimed in my application for U. S. Letters Patent for improvement in creels, filed January 8-, 1929, Serial No. 331,044.

The skewer-supporting steps are mounted in the upper portions of the said rails, and the tip-retainers are applied so that the skewer-tip-receiving eyes -thereof project horizontally from the vertically curved surface at one side of each rail.

Tubular and other shell-like creel-railsof curvilinear or analogous construction have .a number of advantages to which references are made in my application aforesaid. leading object of the present invention to provide in simple, practical, and efficient manner for combining skewer-supporting steps with rails of such type.

I The steps 2, 2, may be composed of any ma.- terial suitable for the purposes involved. In general practice heretofore, similar steps have been composed of porcelain, and such material may be employed in carrying the present invention into practical effect. The form of a step 2, may be varied more or less in practice. In the illustrated instance it is cylindrical in horizontal cross-section, with a concavity in its top to constitute a bearing receiving the foot or pintle of a skewer 6. In the top side of a rail 1 a hole is made for occupancy by the step, there being in practice a longitudinal series of like holes corresponding in number with the number of skewers and bobbins comprised in a row or bank thereof to be provided for. The said hole corresponds in shape with the cross-sectional shape of the body of the step.

In carrying the invention into practical effect I preferably mount the steps within the holes in the tops of the hollow or shell-like rails in such manner that the steps shall be contained wholly, or almost so, within the rails, and thereby enclosed and protected from dust, flyings, or droppings, and from blows or the like tending to injure or displace the same. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention only the flanged top of a step is exposedat the exterior ofa rail.

In this instance, a step 2 has around its top an outstanding flange 21, which extends outward over the margin of the hole in a rail 1 that is occupied by the body of the step next below the flange. Such flange rests upon the margin of the hole to limit the extent to which the body of the step passes down within the Itisa hole, and to afford vertical support to the step, and closes the hole around the step. To enable the flange of a step to lie flatwise against the margin of a hole in a rail of curvilinear cross-section, around the entire circuit of such hole, the flange is] shaped at its under side to conform vertically, with said margin. Thus, the underside of the flange is formed with concave rises at the sides as in -5, corresponding with the convexity of the top of a tubular rail, and with dips at front and rear, as in Fig. 4, corresponding with the lower positions of those portions of the said margin which are located at front and rear. In this instance the steps are circular in horizontal cross-section, although the cross-sectional shape may be varied if found desirable. In order to conform to the circular shape of the steps theholes in the tubular rail are circular, and consequently the flange of a step is given convex dips at front and rear to correspond with the form of the hole-margin in front and rear.

For the purpose of locking the respective steps in, place in working position within a rail 1, I form a lateral notch 22 in each step, and provide a wire 31, Figs. 1,3, and 7, extending across the shell of the rail from front to rear of the latter as in Figs.- 1 and 3, This wire occupies the said lateral notch, and as will be obvious from Fig. 2 it will serve to prevent the step from rising. Thereby I provide against dislodgement of the step through being acted upon in cleaning. operations. V A

Preferably, the Wire 31 is constituted by the stem ofa skewer-tip retainer 3. The construction and form of a retainer may vary somewhat in practice, although the particular tip-retainer 3 shown in the drawing .is

preferred. This tip-retainer 3 comprises a wire of U or staple-form, which is combined with a rail 1 with the bend of the U projecting outward from the surface of thesaid rail. The bend stands out from' thesaid surface, and the two legs of the U are spaced apart at the surface of the rail sufliciently to provide an eye proportioned properly to contain askew- .er-tip as in Fig. 1, as well as to permit sufiicient play and free turning of the tip within such eye. One of the legs is long andv constitutesthe stem 31 of thetip retainer, the other being short. .The long leg or stem 31 extends horizontally, diametrically across the tubular rai l,'such leg occupying holes in the shell or wallof the rail at opposite sides of the latter andbeing made fast in place by riveting at its extremity. The portion of such extremity which occupies the corresponding hole inthe said shell or Wall is reduced in diameter to. produce a shoulder 32 whiclnthrough engagement with the. inner surface of such shell or wall prevents displacement of the tip-retainer in one direction, while the burr on the exposed outer portion of the long leg prevents displacement in the opposite direction. The short leg of the tip-retainer voccupies a hole in the shell or 5 wall at the side of the latter at which the eye is located, but in this instance extends only a short distance within the tubular rail. The engagement of the two legs of the tip retainer within holes in the shell or wall of the tubular rail at points separated from each other prevents the tip-retainer from turning so as to displace the eye angularly into a position rendering it difficult of entryvby a skewer-tip. By reason of the said legs being spaced'apart horizontally from each other between the points where they intersect the surface of the rail, no obstruction is presented in the case of a skewer-tip laid against the convex surface of the lower portion of the rail, that is to say below the eye, and pushed upward over such surface endwise into the eye. This operation admits of being performed quickly. The surface of the rail guides the skewer-tip into the inner portion of the eye, sot-hat, provided the said tip'has been alined with the opening of the eye, and

that lateral deviation from alinement is avoided, the introduction of the tip into the eye takes place readily. The operation of in place in a creel is capable ofbeing performed by one hand holding the associated bobbin and skewer, without the assistance of the other hand, by operations involving placing the tip against the surface of the rail below a tip-retainer, sliding the tip upward upon said surface into the opening of the eye of the tip-retainer, and dropping the foot of the skewer into the properly-related step provided below.

The principles and advantages of the invention may be utilized through application to creel-rails of other shell-like forms.

The tip-retainer per se is claimed in my companion application filed January 8, 1929, Serial No. 331,044.

In the event of removal of a step and replacement of the same being required, the removal may be provided for by driving the tip-retainer endwise out of place so as to disengage its stem from the lateral notch in the step. If found necessary in order to permit this to be done, the headed-down portion or burr of the extremity of the stem 31 may be removed first. After removing the old step and applying a fresh one in its place, pushing the stem of the tip-retainer through the lateral notch in the fresh step, and causing the said extremity to protrude through the proper hole in the shell or wall of the creelrail, the protruding portion may be riveted or headed-down again.

\Vhat is claimed as the invention is 1. In a creel, the combination with a creelrail of hollow shell-like cross-section having mounting an associated bobbin and skewer in itstop a hole for occupancy by a skewerstep, of askewer-step occupying said hole face of the rail adjacent-thehole and supthe enclosure'of t e shell-like creel- 2. In a creel,tthe combination with a tubular creel rail, having in its top a hole for occupancy by a-skewer-step, of. a skewer-step occupying said hole, having a flange conforming inthe contour of its under surface having'a flange which rests upon the surto the contour of the curved surface of the top of therail, "which flange rests upon the said curveds'urface and supports thestep with itsbody within and protected by the enclosure of the tubular creel-rail.

3. In a creel, the combination with a creelrail of hollow shell-like cross-section having in its top a hole for occupancy by a skewerstep, of a skewer-step occupying said hole, having a lateral notch in its body, and also having a fiange'which rests upon the surface of the rail adjacent the hole and supports the step with its body within and protected by the enclosure of the hollow creel-rail, and e a step-retainer within the hollow creel-rail entering said notch to keep the step in work-. ing position.

4. Inacreel, the combination with a creelrail of hollow shell-like cross-section having in itstop a hole foroc'cupancy by a skewerstep, of a skewer-step, occupyin said hole, having a lateral notch in its b0 y, and also having a flange which rests upon the surface ion of the rail adjacent the hole and supports the step with its body within and protected by the enclosure of the hollow creel-rail, of a wire extending across the interior of the creel-rail and occupying said notch to keep the step in working position.

5. In a creel, the combination with a creelrail of hollow shell-like cross-section having in its top a hole for occupancy by a skewerstep, of a skewer-step occupying said hole, having a lateral notch in its body, and also having a flangewhich rests upon the surface of'the rail adjacent the hole and supports the step with its body within and protected by the enclosure of the hollow creel-rail, of a skewertip-retainer having at the exterior of the creel-rail an eye for the reception of a I skewer-tip, and having a stem which extends crosswise of the interior of the creel-rail and occupies said notch so as to keep the step in working position.

6. In a creel, the combination with a creelrail of hollow shell-like cross-section having 'in its top a hole for occupancy by a skewerstep, of a skewer-step occupying said hole, having a lateral notch in its body, and also having a flan e which rests upon the surface of the rail ad acent the hole and supports the step with its body within and protected by the enclosure of the hollow creel-rail, ofa

U-she'ped sfkewer-tipqetatinfi having, the bendf'thereof located exteriorly of the creel: 1 9,111 so as. to form with the surface of the creel-rail an eye forzthe reception of a skewertip, and also havinga stem constituted by aleg extending crosswise ofthe interior of the creel-rail and occupying the notch to keep the step in Workingposition V V i I .7. Inacreel, the comb'nation with aicreel- Y rail. of curvilinear cross-section, having in its ,top, ahole for insertion of a skewer-step, of a v skewer-step, occupying said hole, having a V iflangeconforming in thecontour of its under surface to thecontour of the curved surface of the rail adjacent the perforation.

' Y I FAY H. MARTIN. 

